Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Hi Sinéad, I completely agree with you. Home is a stunning and thought-provoking film that really brings the urgency of climate action to life. It strikes a strong balance between raising awareness and encouraging positive change. The carbon footprint questionnaire is a great tool too—it really helps make our personal impact more visible and gives us a starting point for meaningful action. I also love your classroom ideas such as storybooks, songs, visuals, and hands-on activities which are all fantastic ways to help younger children understand and care for the planet in a way that’s fun and age-appropriate. I will certainly use these ideas with my class this year.
The film HOME is a beautiful and powerful documentary that shows how all parts of our planet are connected and how human actions have changed the Earth. The aerial videos and clear explanations make it interesting and easy to follow. It helps viewers understand why it’s important to take care of the environment. The other videos in the module, like the Paxi animations, are great for younger children as they explain tricky ideas like greenhouse gases and global warming in a fun and simple way.
With a younger class, I would start by showing the Paxi videos to help them understand the basics. Then, I would show short, age-appropriate parts of HOME to spark curiosity. After watching, we could talk about what they saw and how it made them feel. To follow up, the children could draw pictures of the Earth, act out caring for nature, or tell stories about how to help the planet.
Hi Colin, I completely agree—Activity 3 is a great way to make the concept of greenhouse gases understandable and interesting for younger students. The Paxi video really helps break it down in a fun and engaging way. I also like your idea of extending it into discussions on sustainability and solutions. Including a hands-on experiment would definitely make the learning even more memorable and meaningful.
Activity 3 ‘Climate Reporters’ is a fun and engaging way to introduce younger students to the idea of climate change and greenhouse gases. The Paxi video explains the concept in a clear, child-friendly way, making it easy for young learners to understand which is the level I will be teaching in the coming academic year. The temperature prediction tool can be used as a class activity, where we explore what might happen to our planet if temperatures continue to rise.
With a younger class, I would adapt the activity by having a discussion after the video and then asking children to draw pictures of ways we could reduce emissions. These drawings could be combined into a large class poster to display our learning. This creative approach helps students express their understanding visually. To improve the activity, it would be helpful to include a simple picture book or story alongside the video to support discussion and understanding further.Hi Aine, I completely agree with you! The idea of linking weather to past birthdays is both personal and memorable for children, making the concept much easier to grasp. I also love the practical nature of the “weather detective” task as it really does encourage critical thinking and discussion. Your adaptation for younger classes using thermometers and simple temperature comparisons is perfect—it’s accessible yet still rich in learning.
The ESA activities, particularly ‘Nose Up High in the Sky’ and ‘Weather vs Climate,’ offer engaging, hands-on learning experiences. In the classroom, these can be enhanced by setting up a simple weather station on school grounds. Younger students could use thermometers to record daily temperatures, while older students could collect additional data such as rainfall, wind speed, and cloud cover. This practical approach helps students distinguish between short-term weather and long-term climate trends, while developing key STEM skills—scientific observation, technological use for data recording, engineering in setting up instruments, and mathematical skills through data analysis.
To lead the school in exploring weather and climate, I would initiate a whole-school inquiry project using the module’s content. Students could collaborate across year levels, share findings in assemblies or digital platforms, and take turns managing the weather station. This would promote collective practice, curiosity, and a strong foundation in environmental science.
